These are the words of a frontier lad
Who lost his love when he turned bad

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her where I am
Take a message to Mary but don't say I'm in a jam
You can tell her I had to see the world or tell her that my ship set sail
You can say she'd better not wait for me but don't tell her I'm in jail
Oh, don't tell her I'm in jail

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her what I've done
Please don't mention the stagecoach and the shot from a careless gun
You can tell her I had to change my plans and cancel out the wedding day
But please don't mention my lonely cell where I'm gonna pine away
Until my dying day

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her all you know
My heart's achin' for Mary, Lord knows I miss her so
Just tell her I went to Timbuktu, tell her I'm searchin' for gold
You can say she'd better find someone new to cherish and to hold
Oh, Lord, this cell is cold